The Mystery of Praise

Thursday 31 December
READ: Psa. 150:1-6
MORE LESSON: Psa.103:1

It doesn't matter what you are going through right now, if only you dare to praise the Lord, I tell you it is only a matter of time before the Hosts of Heaven will visit your life with power and deliverance. The original Hebrew word translated “Lord” in the anchor text is ad-o-noy' and it suggests “the controller, master or commander of an army or troop”. This is why we often see the same word appear in other scriptural texts as Lord of hosts or Lord of the heavenly hosts. So when we offer praises, it is the Lord God of the armies of Heaven that arises on our behalf.

The hosts of hell cannot stand the slightest sway from the Lord of the armies of Heaven. No wonder at Jericho, God instructed His people to make a shout of praise and as soon as they did, the walls of that great city came crumbling down because the Lord and His hosts of armies came into the scene. We see the same manifestation of the Lord and His hosts when in the prison where Paul and Silas were chained, at the sound of their prayers and praises, there was a great earthquake. The gates flung open and the chains and shackles fell loose from their hands and feet. If you must experience the mighty touch and transforming power of God in your life, you must consciously cultivate the heart of praise, I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psa.34:1.

The heart of praise is one that is persuaded that the Lord deserves the praise irrespective of what is going wrong in the immediate surrounding or who is looking on, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose: Rom.8:28. He who offers praise is fully persuaded at the promise of God. The Bible says in Heb.10:23b, …for he is faithful that promised. That's why he who praises can go to sleep in a storm because the Lord of hosts says in Heb.13:5b, ... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

There are two categories of praise offered in the Kingdom of God: conditional praise and unconditional praise. The power, provision and protection of the Lord of hosts are always at the disposal of people with unconditional praise on their lips. We were created to give God praise. And as we do what we were created to do, God does for us what gives Him pleasure to do: to intervene in the matters of your life! Praise him NOW!

Prayer/Action
* Pray for God’s visitation as you praise Him.
* Pray that as you praise God, He will sink every wall of Jericho around you.
* Ask God to help you praise Him in every situation.
* Ask for the spirit of praise and thankfulness.
Sing a song to Jesus today, dance and praise Him.
Shout Hallelujah.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Goodbye 2015, all your negatives I leave behind, the goodness I carry on and I prophesy my future years greater and sweeter than 2015, in the name of Jesus.

Prophesy God's Word

Wednesday 30 December
READ: Dan 9: 1 – 3
MORE LESSON: Isa. 34: 16

Have you ever been in a meeting where God is giving Word of knowledge about people's cases and it looks as if your own case is always never mentioned? You might even feel as if God doesn't care about you as the servant of God keeps calling forth people's cases but is silent on yours. I want you to know that God loves you and He has given a word about you; you just need to know where to look. God in the Bible has already spoken a word for every human being in the world. Even if a word of prophecy does not come directly to you from the altar for that situation you are going through, God has spoken concerning you ahead of time in the Scripture. So, read the Bible, pick up the prophecies and personalize them. As long as you fulfill the conditions that are attached to the prophecies, God will bring them to pass in your life.

You have the right to hold every Scripture promise as tightly and personally as you would hold a word brought by an angel who has your name written on his forehead, and directly taps or calls you by name in the midst of all the congregation to give you a prophecy. That is what Daniel did; he picked up a word from the scriptures and presented it to the Lord. He reminded God of the word of prophecy that had gone ahead of the exile of Israel to say that after 70 years they would be brought back to their land. He read it in the scrolls, took it personally and started praying it till it happened to him and all the children of Israel. God has made a lot of promises ahead of us. All we have to do is to pick them up and declare them to His hearing.

There are many prophecies for you in the Bible. If no one has told you that you will be wealthy and great in the future, go to Deut. 28 : 12 - 13. It says that you shall lend and not borrow, you will be the head and not the tail. That word is personally for you; put your name on it and prophesy it to yourself. The Word of God is real prophecy. Rev 19:10 says . . . for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Jesus, the Word of God is the essence of prophecy. Even if a prophecy is spoken to you, it must agree with the Word of God. If it contradicts the Word, then it is not from the Spirit of the Lord. If it is a dream or vision you had, you still have to go and search the Bible for the scriptures to substantiate it. The Word is the ultimate; go for it and prophecy it to your life.

Prayer/Action
* Read through Deut.28:1-14 and pick a relevant promise to meet your need, then prophesy it to your life,
When done, take up a song of praise and give God thanks for that promise and for the power for its fulfillment it in your life.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I connect with the spirit of last minute miracle of 2015 and I receive all the arrears of my blessings, in the name of Jesus.

Identify with the Lord

Tuesday 29 December
READ: Dan 6: 1 - 10
MORE LESSON: Dan 6: 5

God wants to distinguish His children in every ramification of life. However, you must delight in God for Him to do uncommon things for you.. When you delight in God, He will take you to the highest place in life. One of the ways you can delight in God and He will take you into your promise land is by identifying with Him and taking a firm stand for Him. Daniel was a man who lived in a land of captivity where a law was passed that nobody should call on any other god except the god of Medes. In spite of the law and the implications Daniel opened his window three times in a day and called upon the God of Israel. Even his enemies knew his stand for his God and he would not compromise that. When you take a firm stand for God so much that every one around you knows you with your stand for God, you are delighting Him and He will take you to places beyond your dreams. So when some people conspired against Daniel to cast him into the lions’ den, God rose up for him because he was so precious to God.

I believe every child of God must have a relationship with God so defined and obvious that the people should recognise his allegiance is to God and only God. It is on the basis of this relationship with God that uncommon and glorious things can happen to you.

When people see you, what comes to their mind? Is it God or something else? Few years ago I was passing through a street close to church and a woman was trying to beckon to me but couldn't remember my name. So when I got to her front, I decided to pass as if I was not the one she was trying to call. But then she shouted “No Parking”- which is the name of our ministry Crusades. I couldn't help but laugh. The laughter betrayed me as the one she was calling. The only thing she could remember about me was “No Parking”. At least she identified me with God.

I pray for you today, anything by which people describe you and it is negative will change, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. If they call you a barren woman, you will give birth to 7. If they call you a failure, you will lead the class. If they call you a poor man you will dash them money. If they call you a weak man, you will be stronger than them. Anything that people look at you and what comes to their mind is negative, in the name of the Lord that I serve, it will turn around and you will move from negative to the positive. You will be God's showpiece and He God will use you as a description of His glory.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to fill you with the zeal of His house and make you his master piece. 
* Prophesy against every anti-covenant tag against your destiny.
* Renew your commitment to serve God in all situations.
List 3 areas where you will begin to serve God better than before and ask God for grace.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
In the name of Jesus, I turn every enemy of 2015 to flight and command its pain to stay behind, in the name of Jesus.

Honour to Elders

Monday 28 December
READ: 1Tim. 5:1-2
MORE LESSON: Lev.19:32

The culture of giving respect and honour to the elderly is gradually giving way in our society. Some people attribute this to the influence of the western world and their ideals. They observe that if children have the right to call the police to arrest their own parents, such children will never grow up to have respect for anyone older in age. However, children who are born again must know that the issue of respect and honour is not just a cultural matter; it is a commandment of God. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee: Exo. 20:12.

This instruction is repeated for emphasis in the Bible. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee: Deut. 5:16. Many people are not making progress in life today simply because they have broken this scripture. They have come under the curse of the law and it cannot be well with them in the land they dwell because they have failed to honour their parents. Some accuse their parents of witchcraft and declare that they must not live (Exo. 22:18). Others live in elegant houses in the city and eat delicacies daily while their parents live in dilapidated houses in the village and are begging for food. This is disrespect and dishonour to parents as exemplified by the story of a man who spent huge sums to bury his father, for whom he spent only very little to provide medical help while the man was alive. Although people attributed his illness to the witches and wizards of his village, I believe the old man he became a prey to them because the son disobeyed God’s commandment to respect his parents.

God's instruction with respect to honour and respect is not only as it relates to parents but to all older people. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD: Lev.19:32. It is wrong for you to sit down to greet elderly persons, or to sit comfortably while an elder is standing for lack of seat. You are expected to vacate your seat immediately and usher that elder to take the seat. An elder should not be carrying a luggage while you walk behind him instead of giving him a helping hand. A younger person is not permitted to rebuke, insult or speak rudely to an elder. Even when the elder is in the wrong, speak to him respectfully. Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father...: 1Tim.5:1. Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses: Tim.5:19. The one who keeps these instructions of the LORD will live long and enjoy the blessings of God.

Prayer/Action
* I repent of every way I have disrespected and dishonoured my parents and elderly ones.
* Lord, teach me to relate respectfully with elderly ones in order to attract Your blessing.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall not end with this year but I shall go far beyond it, in the mighty name of Jesus’.

Grace for the Last Days

Sunday 27 December
READ: Gen.6:5-13
MORE LESSON: Gen.6:14-22

There is a lot that has been said about the perilous nature of the end-times but only a little has been said about the provisions of God for His people to overcome in the endtimes. In these endtimes we are also witnessing the periods of the greatest manifestation of the grace of God. Though the wickedness of men was great in the days of Noah, yet his family found grace in the sight of God and they were spared from the destruction that happened to the men of his time. By His grace you will find grace in the times of disgrace, in Jesus’ name. To survive these times you need grace that is made available by Christ. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ: Jn.1:17. There is grace to manifest spiritual maturity in these times. Just ask the Lord and He will endow you with grace to handle the issues of the end-times correctly. You must refuse to be distracted by the events around you. Also, to have grace like Noah in times like these, walk with God and obey His instructions (Gen6:14).

God has also made a provision of godly homes to help overcome these end times. As you allow Jesus, who is full of grace and truth, to rule your home by His Word, your home will become an ark with rooms for your spouse, children (biological and spiritual), in-laws and even friends.

Another major provision made to enable you overcome the perilous times is the grace of the Spirit. Satan is all out with great deception and lying wonders to sweep away many, knowing his time is short. However, God is also equipping many with the power of the Holy Spirit to manifest great deliverances and salvation through the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Cases that have been written off as terminal and impossible are being reversed by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's servants.

Therefore, do not despair; great grace has been released to counteract the workings of Satan in the end-times. Be a partaker of this grace by doing as Noah did. Walk with God, obey His commands and fellowship with the Spirit of grace.

Prayer/Action
* I will overcome all evil distractions in these endtimes as Noah did, by the grace of God.
* I receive power to walk with the Lord and obey His commands as Noah did and I shall escape the destruction awaiting the ungodly.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, let all strange and evil presence bow to the presence of God and depart from my life today, in the name of Jesus.

Make the Most of Life

Saturday 26 December
READ: Psa.8:1-9
MORE LESSON: Isa.3:10

God is mindful of man (Psa.8:4). He has given man His best so that man can have the best on earth and hereafter, eternal life. For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honor: Psa.8:5. Glory and honour are not just God's plan for man in eternity, they start here. Blessing and dominion are also God's provision for man right here on earth (Gen. 1:28). It is erroneous for you to believe that you must go through hardship, pain and poverty to make heaven. The Bible says you are to be fruitful and multiply, which implies to be more than what you are at present. This also means to make the most of life.

How can you make the most of God's provision for you in this life? You must first, realize that life is a gift and an opportunity. It is an opportunity to do good, do well and please God here on earth. Also, realize that life is short (Jn.9:4), so you must use life correctly. In addition, realize that life has no second chance for you. Once you pass on in death you cannot return to make impact in this world again. Therefore, live with a purpose; be purpose-driven, and strategize on what you will achieve each day, month and year. Drive your situations; do not let situations drive you. Accept responsibility for your life, and cease from blaming people for what they did or did not do. God is available to help you do things for yourself now, so cease from pity party and work on your life. There are people who had no parents to sponsor them in school but they took the situation by the horns. They got jobs as security personnels who worked at night, and worked in cafes in evenings to pay their school fees through in order to have secondary school and university education.

You can also make the most of life by living sacrificially and by meeting people’s needs. When you are no more meeting people's needs, you are no longer needed. Those who are remembered forever are the ones who remember others. Become relevant by meeting the needs of people around you regardless of your age. You may not be able to give people money but you can give service or your time to help someone. These can open doors to wealth that will surprise even you.

Finally, realize that the best of life comes by redemption. Redemption frees the soul from the bondage of sin so that you can have full expression of life for relevance and usefulness. Calvary is the bus stop for curses and the take -off for blessings.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, I thank You for the gift of life and redemption.
* I receive grace for relevance and impact while here on earth and at the end eternal life.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command the spirits of rejection, delay and hatred in my life to end with this year, in the name of Jesus.

Anti-Christs celebrate Christmas?

Friday 25 December
READ: I Jn. 2:18-25
MORE LESSON: Matt. 21

There have been questions about the definite date of Christmas, whether Jesus was actually born on 25th December or not. Some biblical scholars believe that Jesus must have been born on 18th August. Some say March 28, while others insist it is November 18th. Even the year of His birth is in dispute. Moreover, it is said that Christmas did not begin as a Christian festival, that it was a pagan celebration rebranded a Christian festival by pagan converts and accepted by the Church as an incentive to encourage the pagan idol worshippers to accept Christ. The argument still rages on till today.

However, whatever the argument, two things are not in doubt. One, that Jesus was born is not in doubt and that is great enough. Two, that Christmas is beyond date; it is the celebration of a man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Every other story is mere academic rhetoric. If the argument today was that Jesus is a myth, that He was never born or that He never lived, instantly both Christianity and Christmas would collapse. But thank God, Jesus once walked physically on the planet earth, in Jerusalem to be precise. He was born, lived, died, resurrected and ascended to Heaven and is coming back soon.

Unfortunately, there are more people who celebrate Christmas as occasion for fun and festival without any contact with Jesus, the real reason for the season. True, to hate or deny Jesus and still celebrate His birth is the height of disservice to oneself and a terrible satanic deception. Only the ignorant and the unlearned will do that. The Scripture reading of today describes anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ as an anti-Christ and a liar. So how does an anti-Christ celebrate the Christ he opposes and denies? Unfortunately, there are more anti-Christs celebrating Christmas today.

The question is, Are you an anti-Christ who celebrates Christmas or are you Christ-like? Many of us will hate to be called anti-Christ yet by the simple definition of John the beloved, anybody who denies that Jesus is the Christ is an anti-Christ even if he goes to church and celebrates Christmas with others. I ask you once more, Who are you at Christmas and beyond? Be a true celebrant, invite Jesus into your life today and Christmas will be meaningful for you to celebrate. HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for the rare gift of Jesus. 
* Give thanks to God for the work of redemption Jesus came to do for mankind. 
* Pray for the countless crowd that will be celebrating Christ today without Christ in their lives, that before the next Christmas they will encounter Christ. 
*Tell someone about Jesus today by word or action.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As the star of Jesus prevailed over the night and was unstoppable by the worse enemy, so shall my star prevail over my night and I shall be unstoppable in glory, in the name of Jesus.

Enduring Gift

Thursday 24 December
READ: 1 Sam 1: 11 - 28
MORE LESSON: 1 Sam 2: 20 -21

Hannah sought God for a child. Then she promised God that whatever child God gave her, she would give the child back to God. When she gave birth to Samuel, she brought back Samuel to the Lord. Samuel, through that singular act, became a gift to many generations. Samuel would have just been a hero in Hannah's house but when he was handed over to the Lord, he became a blessing to the nation and all generations. God also blessed Hannah with many more children such that there is no loss in her life as a result of the child that she gave to the Lord. No one has ever lost by giving to God; only blessing, increase and greatness come out of giving to the Lord.

Trinity Broadcasting Corporation (TBN) is one of the largest Christian media houses in the world. The man who started the media house shared his testimony: when he finished high school and needed direction on what to do next, he went to a man of God for prayer; and the man of God laid hand on him and told him to go to Bible school. So while others were going to university, he went to Bible school according to God's instruction. However, after the school, he fell sick with rheumatic fever, it was so bad that the doctors told him that he would not survive it and if he by any chance did, he would be paralysed through life. Then God came on the scene and healed him. He started a Christian programme to celebrate God for healing him and named the programme ''Praise the Lord!”. He would bring several ministers to speak and preach for free on his programme. He then started paying for television time for other ministers to preach across the world. He graduated to having his own television network where he would bring ministers worldwide to preach for free. The great television network we celebrate today started as an act of appreciation to God.

Isa 60:15 says, Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. God wants to make you a joy and gift to many generations. There is a gift in you that can affect nations and generations. However until you hand over the gift to the Lord, it will remain locked inside. Like Hannah in the Bible and the founder of TBN, there is something you can give God which He will take over and make into a gift to many generations. You can offer service or take an assignment as an appreciation to God, none can tell how far it will grow. Whatever little money, effort or time you give to the Lord in appreciation will grow to become a great blessing to many.

Prayer/Action
* Promise God you will not take His blessings without being a blessing.
* Ask God for the grace to live a life of gratitude.
* Promise God something you will do this year for all His goodness to you.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Son of God, as we celebrate the eve of Your birth, cause me to celebrate the end of every long lasting pain in my destiny, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits II

Wednesday 23 December
READ: Prov. 3:8
MORE LESSON: Psa. 91

The Bible rates health right very high on the list of importance (3 John 1:2). Man's mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the body (Deuteronomy 6:24, Exodus 23:25). A bondservant of Christ should eat and drink all to the glory of God, using only "that which is good" (Isa. 55:2, 1Corinthians10:31). If God says something is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsels are for our good. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because such does not benefit us (Psa. 84:11). Let us see a list of 12 holy and totally healthy habits dug up from the Word of God:
1. Eat your meals at regular intervals (Ecc.10:17).
2. Don't overeat (Prov. 23:2, Luke21:34).
3. Make mealtime a happy time (Eccl. 3:13).
4. Don't harbour envy or hold grudges (Prov. 14:30, Matt. 5:23,24).
5. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest (Exo. 20:9,10, Ecc. 2:22 ,23; 5:12, Psa. 127:2).
6. Keep your body clean (Isa. 52:11).
7. Avoid all harmful stimulants. 
8. Bury body waste to avoid disease (Deut. 23:12-13).
9. Avoid eating animals that are strangled (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
10. Avoid eating animals that die by themselves (Lev. 17:15; 22:8, Deut.14:21, Ezek. 4:14).
11. Do not eat animal fat or blood (Gen. 9:4, Lev. 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:10-14, Deut. 12:16).

Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood and that the use of fats is largely responsible for this high level. Also, the blood can transfer diseases. Science is just catching up with the Bible.

12. Put full trust in the Lord (Proverbs 4:20-22;19:23).
God's counsels and rules are always for our good, just as good parents' rules and counsels are best for their children. God holds us accountable (James. 4:17). The reason for restricting our diet is because we are the holy children of a holy God (Deut.14:1-3).

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for appropriate provision and food consumption.
* Repent of any abuse of food.
* Pray that God will provide food for the needy.
Share your food with somebody today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
He that keepeth Israel shall keep me; He shall not sleep nor slumber for my sake and underneath me are the everlasting arms, so I shall not fall, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits I

Tuesday 22 December
READ: Gen. 1:29
MORE LESSON: Rom. 8:1-13

The first chapter of the book of Genesis contains not just facts and figures of the story of creation but also God's recommended feeding habits for mankind. The diet God gave people at the beginning of creation was fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Man was created by God to live on three dimensions. As a spirit, he lives in a soul and has a body. And throughout Bible days and even contemporary times God is seen to be greatly participating in the spiritual, soul, and bodily wellbeing of His children. God gave us His Word and His Spirit to nourish our spirits; He gave us His love, joy and peace to nourish and renew our minds and also gives us timely instructions on how to live in good hygiene and health.

The Christian walk has been greatly misunderstood by some people to be strictly a spiritual voyage, given directions only for the spirit dimension of man. On the contrary, the Word of God is full of healthy feeding and living habits that even science has found to be the best way to live. Scripture - obeying people are the healthiest on earth because the Bible is balanced with wisdom and nourishment for the total man. Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us (John 1:12). He longs to set us free if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding (Phil. 4:13). He says, These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full: Jn.15:11. The devil says freedom is found in disobedience, but this is falsehood (Jn. 8:44). Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a child of God (Eze.11:18, 19).

Divine healing is God's responsibility to us but divine health is our responsibility to our bodies. The Scripture is very clear about what your body really is, the temple of the Holy Spirit! Therefore, it must be handled in the most holy and honourable way by us, in a way that is suiting to the Lord of this temple (1Cor.6:19). If this body is a temple, then we cannot afford to perform harmful experiments like smoking cigarette because it is not a chimney, it is a temple!

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to empower you to conquer any bad eating habit.
* Pray that by what you eat, you will never defile God’s temple that is your body.
* Ask God to heal you of any disease you might have developed out of disobedience to biblical healthy directives.
Take a decision to stop any bad eating habit today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I prophesy that I shall not end this year in sorrow or shame. I shall be kept under the pavilion of Jehovah’s wing where my safety and defence is sure, in the name of Jesus.

Life Guide

Monday 21 December
READ: Jms.1:17-25
MORE LESSON: Heb:11:3

I once heard a preacher-man coin out an acronym for “B.I.B.L.E” and I love it. He called it, “Best Instruction Before Leaving Earth”. There are two spheres of life, time and eternity. Friend, there is no doubting the fact that there is life after here. It is called eternity or life without time, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9:27. We are eternal beings, designed by God to live forever. But the quality of our eternity will be predicated on the guidance we receive and obey here in time.

Time is rewarded in eternity so we cannot afford to spend time recklessly. We need an eternal compass, a divine pathfinder to successfully ply the road of life in time. We need a trustworthy time-guide; we need a living book. Praise God, we have the Bible. Even Science and Archaeology accept that the Bible is a truth-pack. But much more than all of this, there is only one infallible proof that the Bible is the best guide into eternity with God; its words work! The Word of God cannot and does not fail. It always works, giving life to its readers and impacting the earth with eternal life. Its words are sure; you can bank on it. Jm. 1:25 says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

It’s simple logic to say that a pillar, a picture, a bridge, the human body or anything at all cannot be firm in shape without a frame. And our anchor verse today from the living book reveals that …the worlds were framed by the word of God…. Heb. 11:3a. This shows us that the Word of God is the very substance or force behind the reality of the world as we know it today. Thus, it is impossible to live a life that is successful, relevant, impactful and Heaven bound without taking roots in the Word of God.

The audacity to poke satan in the face and claim your victory is predicated on how much of God’s Word you have searched out, believed and acted upon. Nothing is sweeter than a life that is lived in the Word of God because for Word-based people, Heaven is sure! Time spent with the Living Book is not time wasted; it is time invested. It is said that the purpose of a thing is with its manufacturer. The Word of God is our manufacturer’s manual for effective and productive living. As the sun is to the earth so is the Word of God to our lives. Prepare for eternity, study the Bible.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you run your life solely on the compass of God’s Word.
* Ask God to illuminate your mind and heart by His Word.
* Ask God to help you invest your time in the study of His Word.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As from today, all my buried glory, goodness and virtue, I command you to begin to resurrect, in the name of Jesus.

The Giving Spirit

Sunday 20 December
READ: Lk. 6:30-38
MORE LESSON: II Chron.7:4-7

There is a mystery involved in the act of open-handedness that only a few men understand or appreciate. The average man is pleased to receive value and reluctant to part with same. This is the basic instinct of a natural man. A popular Christian author, John Maxwell, says, “We live by what we give”. When it dawns on a man that giving is the essence of life, then there will be no struggle in releasing his gifts, abilities, natural endowment, resources and time to serve God and humanity.

God is the greatest giver that made all men – givers and gatherers, the generous and the tight-fisted. It is wisdom for a man to be on the giving and generous side of life. It is only a mark of appreciation to the great Giver who gives to multiply givers on earth. If you study the lives of natural givers all over the world, you will notice that their ability to give always increases and they never lack. Remember that an unbeliever that lives by giving will always be ahead of a most holy believer that is tight-fisted in natural wealth and possessions.

Believers have the greatest opportunity to part with poverty and live fulfilled lives. We often want to be associated with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon etc, but are we ready to pay the price they paid? These were men that emptied their lives for the Lord. He that empties himself for God will be rewarded with overflowing blessings from above. Change your attitude positively towards tithes, offerings, pledges, vows, almsgiving and helping others and you will never regret it. You were created to give. God gave His best (Jesus) and His children should give like Him.

Verse 38 of our text says, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. That is not just a promise; it is a key to unlock wealth! If you are tired of poverty and you desire to come out as fast as you can, take the key of giving and the padlock against your wealth will give way speedily, There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty: Pro. 11:24. Now answer the question, “Who holds the key to your prosperity?”

Prayer/Action
* Promise God nothing will be too big for you to give Him.
* Cast every spirit of tight-fistedness out of your destiny.
* Command the spirit of giving to come upon you.
* Rebuke any spirit of loss, wastage and emptiness over your finance.
Give a special offering this week to your local assembly, shepherd or a church project with a request to God for a testimony in your finance.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I withdraw my soul from perdition and destruction as this year comes to an end, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Wait on the Lord

Friday 18 December
READ: Isa. 40:28-31
MORE LESSON: Isa.30:18-21

One of the major problems in the world today is haste; everybody wants to make it, that is, succeed as a matter of urgency. Sadly, this attitude is also found even in the body of Christ. The irony, however, is that those who carefully and patiently come behind you discover the money which you might have run over. Today, the Lord is teaching you to pause for a while. Learn to wait upon the Lord for everything.

The Bible teaches us that the Lord makes things beautiful in His own time. God does not use wristwatch to calculate time, seasons and years the same way we do. Psalm 90:4 says, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday…. Are you in haste over anything? The Lord is telling you to wait upon Him. It is in your interest to wait upon the Lord because they that do so shall renew their strength (Isa. 40:31). You burn a lot of energy running here and there but when you wait upon the Lord in prayer and fasting, in diligence and commitment, your burnt energy is renewed, replaced or refilled. For waiting on Him, God grants you the strength of an eagle (agility, might, glorious height and dominance of your environment) to fly over and above all circumstances; the speed to run, power never to be weary, and the majesty, caution, confidence, protection and guidance to walk over pain, affliction, lack, opposition and obstacles, and yet not faint. You are granted total protection when you fly (great speed), run (medium speed) and walk (slow speed) as strictly directed by the Spirit of God in response to situations and circumstances of life.

Learn to wait on the Lord; it pays. Never be desperate about anything, whatever goes round must come round. Trust in the power of God to give you your heart desire in your season and His time. Prov. 28:20 says, A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent! And Isaiah the prophet says, Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste: Isa. 28:16. Another version (NIV) says, ...See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. and the Amplified version says, He who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed. Therefore, wait on the Lord! Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart...: Psa.27:14.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to grant you patience in the midst of challenges. 
* Pray for strength not to faint in the place of waiting.
Find a prayer partner today and agree with him or her that you will not wait in vain.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I plead with heaven to expose and disgrace every unfriendly person masquerading as my true friend, in the name of Jesus.

Understanding Prophecy

Thursday 17 December
READ: Gen. 12: 1-7
MORE LESSON: 1 Thess. 5: 20

In Genesis 12, God gave eight “I wills” to Abram who was already old when God gave him this prophecy. A prophecy denotes a Word of the Lord about what is to come. Prophecy could be a promise or a warning. It could come to give direction and sometimes a confirmation. God might give you a prophetic word to tell you what tomorrow will look like and at another time, He might just be warning you about what could happen tomorrow if you do not do something. God can also give you a prophecy as an instruction and direction about what should be done and how to do it. At such times your obedience to instruction is what determines whether the expected result will come or not. God can also use His servants to give you a prophetic word to give you a confirmation of what He had spoken before.

God told Abram that He would make him into a great nation with people as many as the stars in the sky but at the time the word came Abram didn't even have a child. God was making a promise to him about tomorrow. In Ps 32:8, the Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you (NLT). By His prophetic direction, a child of God should not wander around like sheep without shepherd and live life by trial and error. God will tell you where to go, when to go the kind of job to do, the location to settle down, who to marry and what ministry to do for God. Your blessings are connected to the instructions God gives you. When you stay personally connected to God. He will give you leadings which are prophetic directions on the best pathway for your life.

God spoke through Jeremiah to the people of Israel that If they didn't give up their ways of sin He will hand them over to the Babylonians- that was a prophecy of warning. (Jer. 22: 25) He was warning them that they would end up as slaves if they didn't repent as He asked them to. The Bible says, we should not take the issue of obtaining prophetic directions, instructions, warnings and declarations from the Lord lightly. A prophetic word might make the whole lot of difference that you have been waiting for all your life. So, despise not prophesyings. 1 Thess 5:20. I pray for you that you will have the wisdom to heed the directions and warnings that God gives you and every good prophecy that has gone ahead of you will be fulfilled in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that God’s Word will never cease to come to you in life.
* Ask God to fulfill Isa. 30:21 in your life - ..thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it...
* Uproot every negative word that could have been prophesied against your life to die now in Jesus’ name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I redeem today from every evil memorial and repeated evil occurrences, in the mighty name of Jesus.

The Land flowing with Milk and Honey

Wednesday 16 December
READ: Num. 14:8
MORE LESSON: Heb 3: 15 - 19

Num. 14:8 says, If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us to the land and give it us, a land which floweth with milk and honey. There is a destination of glory being described here and it is the land flowing with milk and honey. There is a land in every man's life either flowing with milk and honey or wailing in dryness. Every destiny has a land which can either be a positive land or a negative one; a land of glory flowing with milk and honey or a land full of disgrace, shame and dryness. There is no in-between- every man is a land defined by something.

In this scripture, God shows us the condition for entering into glory which in this case is a land flowing with milk and honey. The condition is simply the LORD delighting in you. When the LORD delights in you, you enter into the land flowing with milk and honey. The Bible says that if you delight yourself also in the LORD; and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4 (NKJV). When you delight in the LORD, He will also delight in you and you will enter into the land promised you. Some people in the scripture could not enter into the land flowing with milk and honey because they grieved God by their sin of unbelief. (Heb 3: 15 – 19). But you will enter into your Promised Land as you commit yourself to the ways of the LORD.

God described your Promised Land as a land flowing with milk and honey; that is not an ordinary land. God didn't plan an ordinary future for you. He is interested in bringing you into uncommon greatness. He wants to bring you into a land of uncommon wealth; and all He requires from you is that you should delight in Him so that He can find delight in you as well. You will not miss your land of milk and honey in Jesus’ name. Never look down on yourself or think negative about your future. There is a destination of greatness and glory that God has prepared for you. Regardless of what and where you are at the moment, keep hope alive in God who is able to bring you to your land of fulfilment. If He did it for the children of Israel; He will also do it for you.

Prayer/Action
* Command the flood gate of milk and honey to be opened to your life in Jesus’ name. 
* Declare that your land shall not be barren nor dry of good things.
* Place a demand on heaven that you will ever be a delight of God.
* Ask God for grace to be able to walk in His will forever.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today, I proclaim that my season of rejoicing can only start but can’t end. I shall rejoice ever more, in the name of Jesus.

The Body of Christ

Tuesday 15 December
READ: 1 Cor 12: 12 - 27
MORE LESSON: 1 Cor. 12 :27

The Church is the Body of Christ. The Church literally means 'the called out ones'. These are the people who have been called out of the world and are gathered together onto the Lord. Everyone who has accepted the lordship of the Lord Jesus is part of the Church. When you get born again, the Spirit of God baptises you into the Body of Christ and you are part of His Church as long as you continue to live by His Word. The Church was bought by the Blood of Jesus Christ and that is why it is called the Body of Christ. The Church is not called the Body of God or the Body of the Holy Spirit. God in His infinite wisdom decided that the Church should be the Body of Christ and that is why Jesus says, . . . I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it: Matt 16: 18. It is Jesus Christ's Church: it is His body and you are part of that body. In the human body there is no part that is not important. The teeth cannot be removed for the eyes and the legs cannot be substituted for the hands. There is no part of your body that you will ordinarily cut off, even to your tiniest finger. So if the Church is the Body of Christ, that means we are the members and we are all important. Everyone has a role to play. Stop seeing the church as a place where you come to sit down while the choir sings, the pastor preaches and then somebody prays and you say 'amen' and leave. You are part of that Body and you have a role to play.

In a body, the same blood flows through all the veins and every organ yields to the central control system. So also it is that the Holy Spirit flows through and binds everyone in church together. Everyone must yield to the control of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power of the church and He has organised the church by putting leadership and structures in place. You must respect the central control system and ordained authority system of the Holy Spirit in the church. Don't be in church and be living an independent life that is not answerable to anyone. There is no organ in the body that tries to live independent of the rest, so get attached to others in the body; you are part of the Body of Christ.

Today I want you to know that the Church is the Body of Christ and function with the consciousness that you are an integral member of the Body, it is only then that you can benefit from what the body supplies.

Prayer/Action
* Pray for grace to be a useful member of the local church that you attend.
* Pray to be a blessing to every member of the body and not a burden and a problem.
* Pray for the Body of Christ globally, that she will represent Christ correctly in the world.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I declare that with Jesus as my great shepherd, I shall not want in destiny: the doors of provision shall be opened unto me, in the name of Jesus.

The Bride of Christ

Monday 14 December
READ: Eph 5: 22 - 32
MORE LESSON: Matt 25: 1 - 12

The Church is called the Bride of Christ in the Bible. Jesus is the groom and the Church is the Bride. The relationship between husband and wife is a type of the relationship between Christ and the Church. In other words, every believer, male or female, is a wife and Jesus the husband. When we get to Heaven, this husband wife relationship between Jesus and the Church will be fully consummated. I suppose that women are going to find it easier to settle into this wife position with Christ; it is like they have been practising on earth what we all are going to be in Heaven! Being a wife here on earth is glorious; it is a foretaste of the role of every believer in Heaven. Jesus has paid the 'dowry' for the Church with His precious Blood. This is why you cannot live and do as you please anymore. You are under the authority of your Husband and you have to do His will. 1 Cor 6:20 says, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

You will notice that there is no wedding service where the bride needs to be introduced among all the ladies present because in every wedding service, there is no confusion as to who the bride is. You automatically know the bride because she is distinguished by dressing, different in attitude and specially seated. The Church should not need introduction in the world; as part of the Church, you should be so different and distinct in living that everyone around you knows that you are the bride of Christ. The bride sits in a wedding service with all her thought and attention on the bridegroom. In fact, if the father or mother is not around, the wedding can still proceed but if the bridegroom is absent, the wedding cannot be done. The Church is the bride of Christ, we must not forget that Jesus is coming. Our whole attention and focus in life should be on His coming. If He comes today, will He find you ready? In Matt 25: 1 -12, we see some virgins that were not ready for the bridegroom's coming, they missed their eternal home. Jesus is coming back for His bride, only those who are ready will go with Him. I pray you will not miss Jesus' coming.

Finally the Bible says, therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing: Eph 5: 24. The wife should be submissive and obedient to the husband; as a part of the Church which is the Bride of Christ, you should obey every instruction of the Lord. You should give diligence to do whatever Jesus, the husband of the Church, assigns you to do.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will live a distinct, exemplary Christian life among your peers.
* Pray that you will not be distracted in preparing for the Lord’s coming.
* Pray that you will be a faithful bride of Jesus from this earth to Heaven.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
December will not close without divine assistance and connections that will turn my life around for good, in the name of Jesus.

Refuel Now II

Sunday 13 December
READ: 2 Pet.1:1-5
MORE LESSON: Col. 1:1-10

Yesterday we established the fact that every anointed man of God needs a constant refilling of the anointing in order to stay relevant and useful. The point is that anything in use must be serviced so that it can remain useful. This is true of both the human and material world; anything you use without refilling must finish.

However, usage is not the only way by which a resource can be depleted. It could also be by leakage, which is defined as the undesired and gradual escape of any material resulting in a loss. Anointing can leak as a result of a believer’s carelessness as it happened to Samson, a man highly anointed but who later fell into immorality. Samson's anointing actually leaked because he never knew power was escaping out of him until Delilah was done with him and he found himself empty, …And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him: Judges 16:20. Talkativeness, evil company, lack of self discipline, hatred, variance, wrath, emulation, strife, sedition, heresy, envy, murder, drunkenness, reveling (Gal 5:19-21), among others, cause spiritual leakage which a believer must avoid.

How do you practically avoid leakage of anointing? Purge yourself of all carnal/fleshly living and set your affection on things above. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness,…. Col 3:5. Our text adomishes us to keep adding, ...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness II Pet.1:5-6. The addition leads to maturity, ...they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor untruthful …. 2Pet.1:8. It concludes in verse 9, But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off....

These are keys to a fruitful life. The anointing of God is for fruitful living and the secret of this is constant addition to whatever already exists. Refuel now; block any leakage and constantly add to your oil. Don't wait until you notice dryness before refilling; that may be too dangerous. The wisdom of the five virgins was in the extra oil they carried to refuel while waiting. Refuel now when the bridegroom is being awaited. Add, and don't ever stop adding until you see Jesus. Refuel now!

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to keep you thirsty for more of Him and help you never to think you have enough of Him.
* Ask God to end every spiritual leakage in your life.
* Lift your hands up and begin to ask the Spirit of God to pour His power upon you.
* Today, join hands with somebody of like mind to pray for your pastor/mentor.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, as David secured an appointment in King Saul’s palace without an application or any human connection, so shall it be for me, in Jesus’ name.

Refuel Now I

Saturday 12 December
READ: Matt. 14:15-23
MORE LESSON: Ezek. 38:7

Anything that is in constant use needs to be topped up or else it will finish. This includes, but is not limited to, the anointing of God upon a person. In Luke 8:46 when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus' garment, Jesus immediately noticed and commented. That is a proof that each time Jesus ministers, there is a flow in the anointing, but the anointing upon Him is without measure. It is commendable that Jesus was sensitive enough to know that something left Him. The absence of such sensitivity has caused many church workers and ministers disastrous losses. Some work and do not realise that the anointing in them is reducing with every service until weakness begins to manifest. This is more with ministers who do not have spiritual back-up in form of prayer supporters.

Several times Paul repeatedly solicited for prayer: Brethren, pray for us 1 Thess. 5:25; Finally, brethren, pray for us…. 2Thess.3:1; Pray for us: for…. Heb13:18. Jesus, though God, never flowed in the anointing without refilling and topping up. In our reading, after the miracle of multiplying bread and fish, He refused to go into celebration. Rather, he withdrew for hours of prayer in order, to top up the anointing. (v23). In fact, He was there until about 3am in the morning (v25).

We all must learn from Jesus’ example. We must learn to pray not only before service/programme but also after. The prayer after must be as serious as the one before the programme. Praying after a service helps you to give the glory back to God, renew your strength and then begin the preparation for the next one.

A constant refilling after a programme is the secret of a greater tomorrow. This is important for the ministers/leaders of a programme as well as the co-workers. If you want your leader to last and do more, whether he asks you for prayer or not, pray for him; back him up. It is easier to pray before the programme than after. Often brethren savour the joy of victory and the sense of fulfillment. But Jesus overcame all this, and topped up after each miracle. I wish just a quarter of women who celebrated David after he killed Goliath went back to raise an altar of prayer him. If they had, his battle with Saul, occasioned by that victory, might have been avoided. Learn to refill and start the preparation for the next assignment immediately after the last one.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for being ever there to renew your strength.
* Ask God to help you to be more sensitive to the state of your spirit.
* Proclaim that you will not dry up and you will not be a spiritual disaster.
* Put your hands on your head and for the next five minutes focus on God and say, “Lord refill me now with Your Spirit”.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every area where I have experienced barrenness, famine, lack, opposition, stagnation, I command you to give way to new breakthroughs, in the name of Jesus.

Raised Altars II

Friday 11 December
READ: Exo. 30:1-9
MORE LESSON: Num.16:44-48

As altars are raised for cursing, so also altars or high places are raised for blessing. Examples of the two are Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim in Deut. 11:29, 27:12-13. When God wanted a sanctuary, fellowship and blessing of His people in Exo. 25, He included an altar in the pattern for building the sanctuary. God gave the altar's specifications and what should be done on it, teaching us some lessons about raising altars to God.

First, He said it is a place of meeting with Him regularly (Exo. 30:6). The more the altars you raise to God, the more of His blessings you will experience. There are many types: personal altar (quiet time), marriage/marital altar (by married people) and family altar.

Second, the altar is a place of regular burning of incense to God (Exo. 30:1, 8). The incense God wants to continuously receive on your altar is all kinds of prayer (worship, thanksgiving, petition, supplication and intercession).

Third, it is a place of using blood to atone for the sins of the people. God no longer requires the blood of bulls or rams on altars that are raised to Him. A better way has been given once and for all (Heb 9:11-14) through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

When you come to God by faith, applying the Blood of Jesus on your life for forgiveness and remission of sins, your prayers are acceptable, bringing down the blessings of God upon your life, destiny and family. Benefits of altars that are raised to Jehovah are many as evident in the children of Israel when they obeyed God's instructions in building an altar to Him (Exo. 40:27-28, 34-38). God's glory descends and protects, defends, preserves, favours and takes you into fulfillment in life and destiny.

The exciting thing is that the prerogative of raising altars is not in the hand of the enemy alone, the believer also can raise altars. When the enemies raise altars to curse, the believer can raise altars to reverse the curse and to pronounce blessing. More, we have an altar that is greater than the enemy's. It is the one raised by Jesus Himself at Calvary for which He paid the highest price ever, making it the most expensive altar in the universe. This altar speaks better things and can swallow any enemy's altar. This indeed is good news for all who know it. Prayer, fasting, prophetic declaration of God's Word are all altars that you can use to destroy any evil in your life. Raise an altar today.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make your life an altar of His presence.
* Ask God to turn every challenge in your life to an altar of prayer.
* Command every satanic altar against you to be swallowed up today.
* Ask God to strengthen your altar of prayer for great results.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month, old things must pass away in my life: old tears of sorrow, sinful habits, old afflictions, delays, pains, regrets, old songs must give way to new things, in the name of Jesus.

Raised Altars I

Thursday 10 December
READ: Num. 22:1-6, 30-40
MORE LESSON: II Kgs.17:9-11

An altar is any structure that is made of earth or stone on which sacrifices are offered or a spirit is invoked or contacted. Altars are generally erected in conspicuous places mostly on a raised ground or high place. There are godly altars and satanic altars. The first altar recorded in the Scripture was by Noah (Gen. 8:20). Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses all raised altars and the entire Old Testament is filled with several altars raised both for God and satanic idols. The tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon also had altars where Jehovah was called upon (Exo. 30:28, II Chro. 4:1). In our reading today, Balak was scared of the testimonies of Israel and consulted the prophet Balam to help curse the Israelites; and to do that Balam raised several altars.

No great destiny is fulfilled or altered without an altar raised for or against it. In the African society, it is said that before kings and presidents are enthroned or politicians occupy major positions, altars are raised ahead of them to spiritually facilitate, consolidate and confirm their posts. Many engage in ritual killing of innocent people, including harmless babies, to sacrifice on these altars for spiritual backing.

In today's reading, Balak heard about 
the children of Israel and what they did to their enemies. He became afraid, Now shall this company [Israel] lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field….Num 22:4.

King Balak knew that his army and the best weaponry available in his time and nation could not handle the battle in Israel. He recognised that there must be a spiritual force (altar) behind the people of Israel. Therefore, he sought a well-seasoned prophet, Balam, to raise an altar to curse the children of Israel. It is not always true, like some people believe, that if you have done no one any evil, you can't be cursed. Good men die before their time. What did Israel do to Balak and Moab that justified hiring Balam to curse them?

Some people are not happy at the joy, increase or expansion of others and merely seeing others flourish irritates and angers them. Such wicked people will eagerly raise altars against your life, whether you are aware of it or not. But just as Jehovah helped to change the words meant to curse to blessing for Israel, so He will arise on your behalf to frustrate tokens of the wicked that are raised against you on any altar, in Jesus' name.

Prayer/Action
* Send the fire of God to every evil altar raised against you, now.
* Send every curse back to sender, in Jesus’ name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
December will be a better month for me in every way, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Your Prosperity: God's Pleasure

Wednesday 9 December
READ: Isa 61: 3 - 11
MORE LESSON: Psa 35: 27

Your prosperity is the pleasure of God. God is joyful when He sees you doing well in all areas of your life. In case you want to know God's will for your life, 3 John 2 shows you in clear terms, Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Prosperity is God's will for you, advancement and good health are His desire for you. Some people say that God wants them to be poor or sick in order to teach them humility and holiness but that is a lie of the devil. God is so greater than you that He doesn't need you to be poor so that you can humble yourself before Him. No matter how rich you become, you cannot be as rich as God, so why would He want you sick, poor or beggarly so that you can respect Him as being above you. Get as prosperous as you can, God is not intimidated; He is happy when you are blessed.

Do you know that your well-being is as important to God as your holy living? Your holiness pleases God (Heb 12: 14) and your prosperity gives Him pleasure (Psa. 35: 27). Job 36:11 says, If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. God says those that obey and serve Him will live in prosperity and pleasure; that Bible verse is talking about you. From today, delete the mentality of poverty and smallness from you. Say to yourself that you will be wealthy and thereby glorify God. There is a promise of prosperity for your life as Isa 61:5-6 says, And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vine dressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

As a man thinks in his heart so he is ( Prov. 23: 7a), so today reject thoughts of poverty, stagnancy, smallness and meager living. Choose to make progress, choose to be successful; choose to be wealthy and healthy. As you make these decisions and you back them up with proper practice of God's principles of success, greatness and wealth, I declare that you will spend your days in prosperity and your years in pleasure, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Declare your name deleted from the sphere of poverty and smallness forever.
* Decree that the counsel of prosperity and well being will manifest in your life from now on.
* Command the flood gate of divine breakthrough open to you now according to God’s promises.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your unfailing and ever increasing kindness over my life.This month, do more, in the name of Jesus

Silent Labourers

Tuesday 8 December
READ: Lk. 2: 36 - 38
MORE LESSON: Matt. 6: 1 - 4

It is common for workers in the vineyard of God to desire to be in positions where they can be visible to all. But the Lord actually esteems those who can humbly labour in the secret place where no one sees them. Such people obtain great rewards from God who sees in the secret and rewards in the open (Matt 6: 1 – 4). In the Bible, Anna was an old woman who had been a widow for 84 years. Instead of complaining, she stayed in the temple day and night for all the years fasting and praying to God to send the Deliverer of Israel. Her silent labours were part of what ushered in Jesus Christ (Luke 2: 36 – 38).

Dr. Yongi Cho the pastor of one of the largest congregations in the whole world shared a testimony about his church in South Korea. He noticed that each time he conducted a miracle meeting, miracles would happen on a particular row, another time it would be another particular row. The rows are very long as it is a massive church but whichever row the miracle was taking place, nothing would happen on the other rows in a particular service. So he was curious and wanted to know why it was so. He asked God what the matter was and God led him to go to the church as early as 5am one morning. He saw a sister that came around and was cleaning the chairs in a particular row and praying in tongues over them. She prayed and cried till tears flowed on the seats and after she was done she left. That particular day, when the meeting started, miracles took place on the row that the woman cleaned. He then realised that it was the silent labour of that woman that was responsible for opening the Heaven for the people on that row.

Another great servant of God in Nigeria also shared the testimony of a young lady in the choir. He noticed that each time she led a song, the spiritual atmosphere became so charged with God’s presence that he could hardly preach. In fact the people would have been praying before he came up. One day before service he was praying round the church and saw someone crying and praying at a corner in the church. He went and tapped her and discovered that it was the lady. He asked her if everything was okay and she said it was. After trying to get her talk and the lady insisted that she was fine, he left. It was later in the service that the girl climbed up to sing that he realised what happened; Heaven opened as she sang.

Whether your service is in the secret or in the open, you can be a silent labourer. The success of your ministry is dependent on the quantity of your labour in the secret place.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make you a sincere and committed worker in His Kingdom.
* Pray that your singular effort will make a difference in God’s work.
* Pray that you will be a mighty tool in the hand of God in your generation.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, in the name of Jesus, December will be a new and better season for me.

The beginning of Sorrows

Monday 7 December
READ: Matt. 24: 8
MORE LESSON: Matt 24: 8 - 13

All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

The end-times are the times when believers need to be strong and be ready to take firm stands for Jesus even in the face of tribulation and oppositions. Jesus told his disciples that when wars, tribulations and persecution start arising against them, it was just the beginning of sorrows. He told them that greater hatred and affliction will arise against the nation of Israel and believers in Jesus Christ. So as we see the hatred against Israel and persecution against the Church, we must know that this is the beginning of sorrows – the sign of the end-time. Today, we see parents disown their children because such gave their lives to Jesus. These people are actually fulfilling end time prophecies.

There were seven believers caught in a Communist country where the weather was dangerously cold - as cold as -50 degree Celsius. Cold could be very deadly. There was an intensive cold at one time that people were beginning to turn blue and the only means to stay alive was to eat ice. This was to keep their body temperatures at that of ice; because the ice was 'warmer' than the atmospheric temperature. Imagine that it was under such atmospheric conditions that the believers were stripped of all clothing and then asked every other hour if they would renounce Christ or continue in the 'cold torture'. The torturers had an ambulance standing by to rush them to the hospital in case they renounced Christ. The brethren refused to renounce Christ and one after the other they began to drop dead. Eventually one of them got tired and said, “I renounce” and was removed from the line. Instantly one of the torturer-soldiers ran to take his place on the torture line, pulled off his dress and began to shout, “I accept Christ”, to the amazement of his fellow torturers who wondered what was wrong with him. What actually happened was that, in the spiritual realm, at the hour the brother renounced Christ, an angel had held a crown over his head and was about to place it on his head. The tortured man was just to say the final 'No' that would put the crown on his head, but he renounced Christ. Nobody saw it but the atheist soldier had his spiritual eyes opened to see all these unfold. And the mystery was that as soon as he took the place of the brother, the crown was laid on him and he died. One man did the labour and another man got the crown.

If Christianity gets to such a point of persecution today, how many people will remain Christians? Will you endure or give up? You must advance from this valley of decision unto the mountain of convictions where you will not give up but endure till the end no matter what.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that nothing will separate you from the love of Christ.
* Pray that no negative end time prophecy shall function in your life.
* Reject everything that can take your name off the list of spiritual champions.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I decree that all present negative situations and events in my life must give way to new things and celebrations in my life,in the name of Jesus.

The right to Choose

Sunday 6 December
READ: Josh 24: 15
MORE LESSON: Matt. 25:1-10

There are a lot of things imposed upon us in life that we actually don't want. Example of such are inheritance cases faced by some believers where they are given titles, positions or ungodly property that belonged to their fathers but which the community believes should be theirs.

It is a sign of maturity to know what to accept and what to reject. The greatest power God gave man is the power of choice. If you don't choose and you allow other people's choices to be imposed on you, God will still hold you responsible for the action. This is the reason God judges every man for his choices both temporal and eternal. 'They were the ones who told me to do it' is not a plea at God's judgment seat. Today I want you to learn that you should not allow anything that is not in accordance with your destiny to be imposed on you. If what is being imposed on you is not God's will for you and will not take you to your destination in life, you must have the courage to say no. If people imposed anything on your destiny and you accepted it when you were an unbeliever, now that you are born again, you have a right to terminate it.

It is amazing that some people accept things for courtesy reasons, even when they know such things are not in conformity with their vision and purpose in life. Some keep friends that are not in accordance with their paths of destiny because they don't want to offend those friends by breaking the friendship. Beloved, friendship is by choice and not by force, if you have a friend that wants to lead you off the path of purpose and destiny, close the book on it. Even in a courtship, as much as I encourage people not to break courtship but if you find out that you are going out with a partner that is not God's will for your life and that relationship will destroy your destiny, no matter how advanced the courtship is, you can still say no. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, so don't allow a wrong one to be imposed on you. God hates divorce so if you realize that you have entered into a courtship that is not in accordance with God's plan for your life, don't manage it into marriage because you don't want to hurt people. There is no need for long talk, just close that chapter.

Finally don't allow spiritual afflictions to be imposed on you- whether ancestral curses or adverse family traits. Because everyone in your family suffered something does no0t mean you should suffer it. Make your choice that your own life will not run that way. Choose, don't be imposed upon.

Prayer/Action
* Tell Jesus you renounce every ungodly relationships and gifts today.
* Ask God to forgive you for every avoidable wrong choice you ever made.
* Ask God to grant you the wisdom of the five virgins in all life decisions.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Lifting up holy hands, I declare that this month every disgrace shall be turned to celebration, shame to fame, sighing to singing and story to glory, in the name of Jesus.

Don't let your Love grow Cold

Saturday 5 December
READ: Matt. 24:12
MORE LESSON: 2 Tim 3: 1 - 3

One of the signs of the end-time declared by our Lord Jesus is that the love of many will wax cold because iniquity will abound. Of a truth, when we compare the way people were passionate about the things of God in the early days and how they take the things of God now, we see that the love of many has waxed cold. Many people were radical about evangelism, prayer, personal study and Church fellowship when they first gave their lives to Christ but now it has become difficult to see these same people in Church. The few times they come to Church, if the service extends just a bit, they start complaining. These days you see Christians hurry out of Church only to go and attend village and clan meetings.

When I was young in the faith, our services were lengthy and we enjoyed it. We counted it as a crime to read anything except the Bible on Sunday; in fact we didn't even read school books on Sunday. Though sometimes we were unnecessarily religious, it showed the extent of our heart for God and our dedication to Him. But these days many abscond from Church on Sundays to attend to their business. Even Church workers and leaders absent themselves from week-days meetings. I know of people who almost swore that they would serve the Lord in the ministry in those days who have now forgotten about God's work and some are now married to unbelievers because they waited on God and, in their own esteem, He did not come through for them on time.

The Bible prophesied that iniquity will abound and we can see it everywhere. I recently saw a fellow with dreadlocks and tattered clothes. I sincerely thought he was a mad man until I was told that it was just fashion. I was shocked. These days we can hardly tell the difference between madness and fashion. Only prisoners wore trousers that sagged in those days but now, people deliberately 'sag' their trousers. The number of iniquitous things tagged “it doesn't matter” has increased; ranging from same sex marriage to divorce, immorality and corruption. These iniquities have found their ways into the Church and you have to decide that you will not be part of it. Matt 24: 12 says, and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. This prophecy must not necessarily be fulfilled in your life. He didn't say that 'the love of all . . .' but 'the love of many will wax cold.' You can choose not to be among the many whose love will wax cold. I want you to decide that whatever it will take , you will remain steadfast in heart to the Lord. Do not let anything take away your love for the Lord. Decide that the iniquity and lukewarmness of this present world will not affect you. Do not let your love for God wax cold.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the force of iniquity in this end time will not prevail over you.
* Pray that your love for God will not dwindle.
* Pray that nothing will replace the love of God in your heart.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I hand over to You Jesus the month of December, and like never before let not the enemy have a memorial in it, in the name of Jesus.

The power in His Name

Friday 4 December
READ: Phil. 2:9-11
MORE LESSON: Acts 3: 16

I want to let you know today that there is power in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus carries power no other name carries. The name of Jesus is the name that opens the door to the power-house of God. The Holy Spirit is the power of God. And it is the name of Jesus that opens the door for the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever the name of Jesus is released in faith, the Holy Spirit goes into action and births forth whatever was declared. There is a protocol of operation in the Trinity; the Father is the God of all, the Son is the administrator of all things; it is the Son who made all things. The Holy Spirit is the power of the God Head; He executes all things. You will see people get saved, healed and delivered when you realize the operation of the God Head. I have seen the Holy Spirit work wonders at the instance of the mention of the name of Jesus in my life and ministry. I have no capability to do the things I saw happen, it is usually the God- Head at work. As you abide in the Father and use the name of the Son in faith, you will see the Spirit do wonders in your life, circumstances and others that you minister to.

2 Cor. 12:4-6 says, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. This scripture highlights how these three Personalities work together to get things done. The Holy Ghost brings about the distribution and manifestation. The Son- Jesus Christ- administers and yet when all is done, God the Father is the One responsible for all the operations/works. God works through the Son by the manifestation of the Spirit. Eph. 2:18 expresses this by saying, For through Him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. So when the Father sets out to do what He has purposed or what you have declared, He comes through the Son by the agency of the Spirit. When we understand this operation of the God- Head, we can always put the devil to flight. The reason the Son of God is made manifest is to destroy the works of the devil and to bring many sons into glory.

From today, the devil is in trouble around you. The operation of God is at work on your behalf; working all things together for your good. God, the Father is sending His Spirit to get things done for you through the authority of the name of the Son. The power of God is available to do all things as you use the name of Jesus. Go in this strength today.

Prayer/Action
* Command that the name of Jesus will begin to work for you more than ever before.
* Declare that the name of Jesus will never lose its power in your life.
* Decree that shut door against you begin to open now, in Jesus mighty name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I declare that all spiritual umbilical cords through which I am connected to the evil forces of backwardness and failure are cut off now by fire, in the name of Jesus.

Final Change of Status

Thursday 3 December
READ: Lk. 16: 19 – 31
MORE LESSON: Jn 5: 24

In the reading of today, there are two men: the rich man and Lazarus. Each of them had a distinct status; the rich man was living sumptuously while Lazarus lived in poverty. But then both of them had a change of status in a matter of minutes. I have noticed that a change of status can happen within a few minutes. Joseph in the Bible was translated from prisoner to prime minister in minutes. Two people are unmarried and in minutes a declaration is made and they become married. A change of status takes just minutes.

So also is the change of status from this life to the hereafter. There is only one step between life and death; it only takes the heart to stop beating and it's over. No one prays for death but it surely comes as long as the Lord tarries. Even if you have faith enough to resurrect yourself back to life, you will still die again; those who were resurrected in Bible days all died again. The Bible says that the last enemy to be overcome is death (1 Cor. 15: 26). One of the mysteries of death that I have seen is that when a righteous man is sick, even if it remains one hour to die, he gets well and becomes lively before he dies. I have seen this happen many times. So death is not a fearful thing for a child of God. Everyone will eventually die; it is what happens to your soul after you are gone that is the issue.

Lazarus died and went to Paradise to enjoy in Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and found himself in hell – the place of torment. The rich man experienced a change of status several times on his way to becoming rich on earth but he didn't prepare for the final change of status, which is the most important. Death is the final change of status on earth. When a man is told that he will die one day, it is not to frighten him; it is a statement of reality. Every man should remember there is an imminent change of status that he cannot avoid: the change from this life to eternity. The decision you make now is the only thing that can determine your fate when this change occurs.

However, if a man accepts Jesus, his change is not from life to death, his own status changes from death to life (John 5: 26). When a believer dies physically, he is alive eternally because his status has changed from death to life and so death cannot hold him. Today is the day to change your status from death to life through Christ so that you will not experience the change from life to eternal death, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire: Rev. 20:14-15.

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to x-ray your life and reveal your eternal status to you today.
*Ask God for a cleansing by the blood of Jesus from anything that could erase your name from the book of life.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
This new month, any power holding my keys to elevation and testimony, by the blood of Jesus, I command you to release them, in the name of Jesus.